The Appointment of Marlon Lynch as Vice President for Global Campus Safety

Mr. Lynch, who began his career as a police officer in Michigan, comes to us from the University of Chicago, where he was the associate vice president in charge of public safety, transportation, environmental health and safety, and emergency management, among other areas of responsibility, since 2009. Prior to his post at the University of Chicago, he served in top public safety positions at Vanderbilt University, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, and North Carolina A&T State University. He previously served with Southern Methodist University’s Police Department and Davidson College’s Department of Public Safety.

He received his bachelor’s degree from Michigan State University and his masters degree from Boston University. He has served on numerous law enforcement and public safety bodies, including as a commissioner for the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies and as president of the International Association of Campus Law Enforcement Administrators in 2009-10.

NYU is in one of the safest neighborhoods in the safest large city in America, a city that has seen historic reductions in crime in the last couple of decades. But the safety of our students can never be taken lightly. The issue of campus crime and sexual misconduct require ongoing efforts to reduce their prevalence, and we set a high priority on providing a safe environment for our students, faculty, and employees. And, as our academic operations have expanded overseas, ensuring the well-being of members of the NYU community has become more challenging.

In Marlon Lynch, we have found the right person to address these challenges, to create an environment where people feel safe, and to foster an atmosphere where community members feel fully comfortable turning to Public Safety in difficult moments. The representatives of the two Faculty Senators Council, the Student Senators Council, the Administrative Management Council, and the Deans Council, with whom he met as part of the search process, all felt that he stood out among the strong pool of candidates as the best fit for NYU. He brings enormous experience and a particularly insightful understanding of how a public safety department should work in a higher education setting. As Vice President for Global Campus Safety, he will oversee safety, security, and emergency management and preparedness globally for NYU, as well as transportation services here in New York. He will report to Martin Dorph, NYU’s Executive Vice President for Finance and Information Technology, and work closely with deans, Student Affairs, Facilities, Public Affairs, and many other units.

We want to thank Karen Gulino, who has been serving as the acting vice president for public safety these past few months. She has done an excellent job, distinguished by her collegiality, her hard work, and her determination not to let the temporary nature of her appointment deter her from making constant improvements in the department. We are very grateful to Karen.

We ask you to join us in congratulating Marlon Lynch on his appointment as Vice President for Global Campus Safety and welcoming him to the NYU community. We are glad to have him.